2004-05 NBA
Post-Hand-Check Era
San Antonio Spurs won the title.
- Teams
- 30
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 90.9
- Points per team game
- 97.2
- League true shooting
- .529
- Share of shots from three
- 19.6%
Award winners
- MVPSteve Nash
- Defensive Player of the YearBen Wallace
- Rookie of the YearEmeka Okafor
- Sixth ManBen Gordon
- Most ImprovedBobby Simmons
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat | 59 | 23 | 5.77 | Lost conf. finals |
| Detroit Pistons | 54 | 28 | 3.31 | Lost Finals |
| Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | 0.65 | Lost conf. finals |
| Boston Celtics | 45 | 37 | 0.35 | Lost conf. finals |
| Washington Wizards | 45 | 37 | -0.71 | Lost conf. finals |
| Indiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | 0.49 | Lost conf. finals |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 43 | 39 | -1.07 | Lost 1st round |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 42 | 40 | 0.27 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 42 | 40 | -1.82 | Lost 2nd round |
| Orlando Magic | 36 | 46 | -2.52 | Missed playoffs |
| New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | -2.72 | Missed playoffs |
| Toronto Raptors | 33 | 49 | -1.81 | Missed playoffs |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 30 | 52 | -3.09 | Missed playoffs |
| Charlotte Bobcats | 18 | 64 | -6.15 | Missed playoffs |
| Atlanta Hawks | 13 | 69 | -9.62 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | 62 | 20 | 7.08 | Lost conf. finals |
| San Antonio Spurs | 59 | 23 | 7.84 | Won title |
| Dallas Mavericks | 58 | 24 | 5.86 | Lost conf. finals |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | 2.59 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 51 | 31 | 4.27 | Lost conf. finals |
| Sacramento Kings | 50 | 32 | 2.56 | Lost conf. finals |
| Denver Nuggets | 49 | 33 | 2.23 | Lost 1st round |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 45 | 37 | 2.64 | Lost 2nd round |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 44 | 38 | 1.73 | Missed playoffs |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 37 | 45 | -0.47 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 34 | 48 | -1.74 | Missed playoffs |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 34 | 48 | -2.32 | Missed playoffs |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 27 | 55 | -3.45 | Missed playoffs |
| Utah Jazz | 26 | 56 | -3.74 | Missed playoffs |
| New Orleans Hornets | 18 | 64 | -6.30 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Restricted area arc | 4 ft arc |
| Three-point line | 23 ft 9 in (22 ft corners) |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | banned on the perimeter (source pending) |
| Defensive three seconds | enforced |
| Hand-checking | banned on the perimeter |
| Zone defense | legal |
| Flagrant fouls | flagrant 1 / flagrant 2 (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 8 seconds |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
Perimeter hand-checking eliminated
Defenders can no longer use their hands to impede ball-handlers on the perimeter, opening driving lanes and boosting guard efficiency.